Talk me off the ledge
- Thread starter bkasbohm
- Start date
I'll echo this. It took me even more than five months to get wonderfully smooth shaves, and being able to has taken the acquisition of a second (open comb) razor and trying probably six or eight different blades. Moreover, I'm more than a year into DE shaving, and I still have to be very careful and methodical to achieve a great shave. I do an extensive pre-shave routine including oil and a super-lather, and shaving takes 35 to 50 minutes for me.
In short: patience.
- Thread starter
- #23
Wanted to post an update. After not using a DE razor for a few months, I went back. I have been getting great shaves with the same equipment as above but using better technique. One thing that has been a great help was getting a straight razor shave from a barber and asking a bunch of questions. The barber used a shavette and changed blades twice during the shave--three total blades used. Since then I've been using one DE blade per shave and getting great results.
Also--I've been making my own hard soap using ingredients from bulk Apothecary. The soap works great and is super-cheap and easy to make. Highly recommend.
Cheers!
Also--I've been making my own hard soap using ingredients from bulk Apothecary. The soap works great and is super-cheap and easy to make. Highly recommend.
Cheers!
Welcome to B&B. Do what works best for you. Wet shaving does have a learning curve which takes about a month to get the hang of it.
Whatever you decide you have the support here.
Whatever you decide you have the support here.
The Feather Popular is a great, mild DE razor but it's probably too mild to compete with the results a cart razor can deliver. A major problem with using a razor that is too mild is the user tries for the BBS with multiple passes and touch ups and in the process gets a lot of irritation.
There are many contemporary and vintage DE razors that provide greater blade exposure and thus provide a closer shave while reducing the number of passes needed.
Bear in mind as others have mentioned, DE shaving requires considerably more investment in technique development, but in doing so rewards the user with greater satisfaction and a connection to an earlier, simpler time in shaving technology evolution.
Since I have learned how to DE shave, when I have to shave with my fusion it is completely different now(in a good way). As crazy as it sounds...learning how to shave is the key factor.
Just my 2 cents.
Just my 2 cents.
+1 to the advice you've received already. This forum may make it seem sometimes that DEs, SEs and straights are an essential part of wet shaving, but they really aren't. If after three months you're still not happy with your results, it might be time for a change. Maybe come back to a DE in a few months and see if anything's changed. Or make the plunge to straights.
+1
Maybe you can start selling the soap here
I have been DE shaving for almost 2 years now I think? And I just recently made a technique breakthrough that allowed me to get much smoother shaves...
Previously I was stuck either doing 2 pass (WTG, XTG), or getting severe irritation & nicks/cuts/etc.
A few days ago I got fed up with something or other and went back to try a different razor (Muhle R41 instead of the Merkur #39c I had been using a while), and somehow found a technique that "clicked". (I hadn't had the angle right before.)
Now I'm still figuring it out, but have been getting super close shaves including going ATG without much (or any, when I do it right) irritation.
I guess I had somehow fallen into a bad habit and it stuck for a long time... I never got much irritation going WTG/XTG, so it seemed fine.
(I also had a similar experience with lather maybe a year ago...)
Previously I was stuck either doing 2 pass (WTG, XTG), or getting severe irritation & nicks/cuts/etc.
A few days ago I got fed up with something or other and went back to try a different razor (Muhle R41 instead of the Merkur #39c I had been using a while), and somehow found a technique that "clicked". (I hadn't had the angle right before.)
Now I'm still figuring it out, but have been getting super close shaves including going ATG without much (or any, when I do it right) irritation.
I guess I had somehow fallen into a bad habit and it stuck for a long time... I never got much irritation going WTG/XTG, so it seemed fine.
(I also had a similar experience with lather maybe a year ago...)
Consider that "back in the day" when you saw a well groomed gentleman, in his 30's with a clean shaven/bbs face that he started out around the age of 16 or 17 with a brush and DE razor (or even straight, depending on what your definition of "back in the day" is) so this imaginary fellow has been shaving for 13-14 years. I am also in my 30's but I rarely, if ever get bbs shaves because the equipment and technique is still relatively new to me since I have been using this equipment for a couple of months, experience wins. My point is that patience is key.
As far as ingrown hairs and irritation are concerned, I believe that there is a plethora of help and knowledge on this forum. Pay attention to your technique, not to be sure you are "doing it right" but pay attention to what your technique actually is. For example: If you dance around in 10 clockwise circles while you lather up....don't stop doing that because you are paying attention to your technique, note it as part of your technique and carry on. Just share what you are doing on the forum and possibly someone may help you find your problem and/or help you refine said technique....perhaps 9 circles or 12 or counterclockwise...I'm having too much fun with this...you see my point so I'll stop now.
As far as ingrown hairs and irritation are concerned, I believe that there is a plethora of help and knowledge on this forum. Pay attention to your technique, not to be sure you are "doing it right" but pay attention to what your technique actually is. For example: If you dance around in 10 clockwise circles while you lather up....don't stop doing that because you are paying attention to your technique, note it as part of your technique and carry on. Just share what you are doing on the forum and possibly someone may help you find your problem and/or help you refine said technique....perhaps 9 circles or 12 or counterclockwise...I'm having too much fun with this...you see my point so I'll stop now.
